CHICAGO – Beyoncé. Justin Timberlake. Red plastic cups. All have mastered the fine art of going Solo. Can man-loving-man performing legend Gayerbear follow in their footsteps as a solo singer-dancer? Come find out as he encounters a fruit basket full of personalities, social and libationary shortcomings, and his own inner booty while performing his live visual album of original songs, backed up by the equally beautiful Dwaine Wells-Ehrisman and Roy Samra. The 116th U.S. House of Representatives describes GAYERBEAR as “if ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and ‘The Lonely Island’ had a gayby.” Queens and Daddies and Bears oh my!
GAYERBEAR is also known as Garrett Allain, who arrived on the Chicago scene as a writer and starring performer in the musical sketch comedy revues LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLESTEROL and CHOLESTEROCK in the 2015 and 2016 Chicago Sketch Comedy Festivals at Stage 773. Allain went solo in 2017 with his one-man musical ALTERED BOY, which transferred to an extended run at Pride Arts Center after premiering at the 2017 Chicago Nerd Comedy Festival. Chicagoland Musical Theatre.com said, “ALTERED BOY is a funny, light-hearted, one-man musical and comedy show written by and starring the engaging and charismatic Garrett Allain.”
GAYERBEAR: THE LIVE VISUAL ALBUM will also feature choreography by fellow cast member Dwaine Wells-Ehrisman, who has danced with Jennifer Hudson, and AMERICAN IDOL hopeful Frenchie. Completing the cast is Roy Samra, who has endeared himself to Chicago audiences as BARNEY THE ELF for the past three holiday seasons in addition to his roles in Pride Films and Plays’ PRISCILLA: QUEEN OF THE DESERT and Circle Theatre Chicago’s THE VIEW UPSTAIRS.
GAYERBEAR: THE VISUAL ALBUM will be directed by Emily Railsback, an independent filmmaker whose credits include the feature length documentary OUR BLOOD IS WINE (Berlinale Official Selection) and the Gayerbear music video GAMS (Austin Music Video Festival Official Selection). Railsback teaches film classes at Columbia College Chicago, where she received her Master of Fine Arts degree in 2014.
GAYERBEAR: THE VISUAL ALBUM is open to review at any performance. Please contact John Olson at john@johnolsoncomm.com for press reservations.
BIOS
Gayerbear (Lead Performer, Writer) The Chicago-based writer and performer Gayerbear under his legal name of Garrett Allain co-wrote and starred in the musical sketch revues LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLESTEROL and CHOLESTEROCK: DARK SIDE OF THE SPOON at Stage 773; and created and performed his one-man musical ALTERED BOY at Judy’s Beat Lounge, The Chicago Nerd Comedy Festival, and Pride Films & Plays. In 2018, Gayerbear released his first music video, the song GAMS, which was introduced in ALTERED BOY. He is a Graduate of The Music Program at The Second City and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.
Emily Railsback (Director) Emily is an independent filmmaker with a background in theatre and visual arts. Railsback teaches film classes at Columbia College Chicago, where she received her Master of Fine Arts degree in 2014. Under her production company Burnt Sugar Productions, she shot, directed and edited the feature documentary OUR BLOOD IS WINE, which premiered at the 68th Berlinale International Film Festival in 2018 and was theatrically released by Music Box Films. Her work focuses on human stories of culture and identity. Gayerbear’s Live Visual Album is the third collaboration between Railsback and Garrett Allain (“Gayerbear”), after directing his music video GAMS, and directing him as a quirky neighbor in her short film AT PAPA’S. Railsback has completed seven short films that have premiered at festivals across the country, and she was the recipient of the Albert P. Weisman grant for her film WARBABY. Railsback is currently working on LOVE AND FEAR IN A SMALL TOWN, a narrative feature film that tackles gun violence in rural, Christian America.
LISTING INFORMATION
GAYERBEAR: THE VISUAL ALBUM
Written and performed by Gayerbear and featuring Dwaine Wells-Ehrisman and Roy Samra
Directed by Emily Railsback
Saturdays, 9 pm
January 26 – February 16, 2019
Judy’s Beat Lounge 230 W North Avenue (The Second City studio theater)
Ticket prices: $13 – General Admission, $11 – College Student w/ ID, $7 – Second City Training Center Students
Tickets and further info at www.secondcity.com/shows/chicago/gayerbear-the-live-visual-album
and 312-337-3992
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